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The best drama TV has seen, guaranteed to have you hooked after one viewing!

Since this programmed was aired in 2004, Desperate Housewives has been viewed by millions in a variety of countries and is now entering the 8th series due to start on 26/9/10 on ABC in America and mid-way through October thoughout Europe.

The programme is a drama set in the fictional suburbs of Wisteria Lane and follows the lives of pre-dominately 4 housewives and their families with another few families thrown in from the sidelines providing more entertainment.

Throughout the main 4 housewives, there are a large amount of dramas and styles of living.

Bree started off being the perfect stay at home wfe and mother and lately has triumphed in the business world, during which she has had to sign over her company to her dead husbands long lost son.

Lynette has a large brood of children and a husband who revels in fufilling his childhood dreams. Her sons get up to all sorts of trouble whilst she finds herself pregnant once again unfortunately suffering the loss of one of her twins.

Gabriel - Gabby - and Carlos lived the life of luxury with Gabby being a former model and Carlos a businessman who unfortunately loses his sight and Gabby bears 2 children. Another family filled with all sorts problems and happy moments.

Susan has gone full circle from leaving her 1st husband, almost marrying a charming British man to finding love in the local plumber. She loses her husband to one of the neighbours and then wins him back coming into wealth from her first husbands death.

There are murders, scandals, heartbreaks, funerals, weddings, love and happiness all narrated by Mary Alice, the dead best friend.

This drama is suitable for all ages of women and men due to the stunning ladies involved and there is plenty of eye-candy for the ladies. It is the perfect programme to snuggle up to watch and wait in anticipation for the next episode. After just one viewing you'll be hooked.

I cannot wait to see what the next series holds with the return of old characters as well as newbies!

Rumours are that Desperate Housewives will be producing series until 2013 which is fabulous as this truly is the best drama I have come across so far and is a definate must see series!

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Great show

Desperate housewives is an American show available to watch in many countries, it's a comedy-drama. It was created by Marc Cherry who also serves as show runner, and produced by ABC productions and Cherry productions.

The show is set in the street of Wisteria Lane in the fictional American town Fairview in the Eagle estate.

Since its premiere on ABC on October 3, 2004, the show has been well received by the critics as well as the audience. The show is a multiple Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award winner, and in April 2007 it was reported to be the most popular show in its demographic worldwide, with an audience of approximately 120 million.

Gabrielle Solis, Lynette Scavo, Bree Van de Camp, Susan Delfino, Mary-Alice Young and Edie Britt are all neighbours. The story starts off with the death or suicide of Mary-Alice Young and the story is narrated throughout by her.

They seem like a normal neighbourhood but there are many secrets that are to discover about each one.

I find it very interesting and I have to admit that I am hooked to it.

They are up to the sixth series and still going. The neighbours find out each others secrets but can they keep them?

I wouldn't recommend this for under twelves preferably, it can contain some strong language which shouldn't be shown to such young children. But I do recommend it highly to an older audience.

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Well worth a watch!

Created by Marc Cherry, with very fitting, Stepford wives-esque theme music by Danny Elfman, Desperate Housewives is an American-made television series which began to air in - and has recently embarked upon its sixth series. Apparently inspired by the film American Beauty (Wikipedia) the story follows a number of characters living in well-off suburbia, namely Wisteria Lane in Fairview. The main characters are the women of the street, Susan Mayer (Terri Hatcher), Bree Hodge (Marcia Cross), Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria) and Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman), with other female characters who come with main story lines before leaving the street in some way at the end of the series.

Each character represents a different kind of woman really; Lynette, the dedicated mother who also has a career and struggles between satisfying the demands of both. She is caring and motherly, yet also very fiery and out to get what she wants.

Narrating the story while watching over her friends is original final member of the group of housewives whose suicide began the show is Mary Alice. Her friends are:

*If you have never watched the show and intend doing so, there will be spoilers here which you may want to avoid*

Gabrielle, the fashionista. A former model in New York, she is continuing a spoilt and privileged life with her husband Carlos. Over the series, they have had her ups and downs: Gabby's affair with their teenage gardener, their divorce, Carlos' blindness, but in the end, they have stuck together and now have two children, Juanita and Celia. Gabrielle is quick with her tongue and can often seem careless and materialistic (and she is!); she wears the most expensive and glamorous clothes, wants her children to do well at school so that she looks good, and in fact, often seems quite selfish even when it comes to her own family: She recently fell out with Juanita's school and decided to home tutor her daughter, just because she couldn't bring herself to apologise which lead to her and Juanita falling out because her daughter really missed school, etc. At times, you will Gabrielle to do a good deed or make a right decision, but sometimes, she just doesn't!. For example, she wanted their cleaner to teach her daughter (it turned out that the cleaner was a graduate and very intelligent, yet was an immigrant who had found herself on hard times) but she wanted to take all the credit for herself, so rather than help the cleaner forge a new career as a tutor, she made it look like the cleaner had done nothing all day because non of the house work had been done, while really she had been teaching her daughter all day, so the cleaner was sacked by Carlos, much to Gabby's dismay. However, despite the hard exterior, Gabrielle does also has a sensitive, caring side deep (deep) down, and hasn't always had an easy life having come from a very poor family. Her disregard for tact and personal restraint mean that Gabby adds much humour to the show.

Susan Mayer is really the Bridgette Jones of the street, always embarrassing herself with her clumsy antics (getting locked out of the house naked, etc) and saying the wrong things in most situations (easily making enemies in this bitchy community, therefore). She is an author, and therefore really the creative force in the women. She has a daughter, Julie from her first marriage with Karl Mayer, but is now married to resident plumber Mike Delfino, with whom she has a little boy, MJ. She is a very sentimental, caring, worrying mother and genuinely tries to help people and do good deeds, although she can also get dragged into all the bitchiness of the street. Susan is currently a teacher at MJ's school, and has just sold her shares in the local strip club (don't ask, haha!). After a car crash in which a mother and child were killed while Susan was driving, the husband of the woman and father of the daughter killed moved onto Wisteria Lane under the pretence of dating Susan's then arch rival but now deceased Edie Brit. He planned to get revenge on Mike and Susan but failed in the end, having a change of heart (though he had already killed at least two other innocent people as part of his elaborate plan), and instead was re-institutionalised. The crash had originally driven Susan and Mike apart, and they had divorced and were both dating other people, but Susan's relationship didn't work out, and while Mike had been living with Susan's friend and neighbour, Catherine, they found themselves drawn back together by the traumatic events and re-married.

Lynette Scavo is the mother of four children, she is headstrong, not afraid of conflict and comes up with some of the best one-liners/put downs, etc. She is quite manipulative and out to get what she wants for her and her family, but she has a good heart for the most part; she can be scary and intimidating for newcomers at first but soon shows her softer, maternal side. She is a dedicated and protective mother, yet also a driven business woman, and has recently gone back to work after bringing up her children. However, she has now found that she is again pregnant with twins, although she lost one, and now finds herself on maternity leave again. She has battled cancer, worrying that she doesn't want her new babies, and marital problems between her and her husband Tom, not to mention all the problems her children have caused her, haha!

Finally Bree, the ice maiden. Not one to show much emotion, Bree is very proper, and very Stepford wives, almost trapped in a 1940s time warp. She is an excellent cook and prides herself on the impeccable standard of the appearance of herself, her house and her food. However, Bree's life isn't as perfect as she would have hoped and after her first husband, Rex, died, she was left with their two children, Andrew and Danielle. She has very strained relationships with both: Danielle is a spoilt, quite horrible girl who has left the street since she became pregnant as a teenager and her mother sent her into the country with some nuns to have the baby! And Andrew was also a horror, manipulative and calculating, leaving the street when he and his mother fell out but eventually returning having been homeless for months. He and his mother were getting on better (Andrew having seemed to have matured and had a bit of a personality transplant) but the current story line is seeing s bit of a relapse with the appearance of Bree's long lost (actually never known about) step son from her first marriage. It is difficult to warm to Bree as she shows little emotion and can appear uncaring and only concerned with appearance, but every so often, a softer centre is revealed to her. She is currently married to Orson Hodge, who was recently paralysed at a Christmas fair when a plan crash-landed on the street, killing Bree's lover, Karl Mayer.

Catherine is the current extra housewife; not one of the main cast from the start, but basically taken the place of Edie Brit as the other woman on the street. After Mike chose Susan over her, she had a break down and made up all kinds of ridiculous lies (such as Mike trying to kill her) in a desperate bid to win him back. She really did believe that he still loved her and told her daughter Dylan (who now lives in another state) that her and Mike were very happy together. After being institutionalised, the other women on Wisteria lane forgave her for the trouble she had caused them all, even Susan, and she has now moved back to her house on the street, taking in a needy stripper who Susan befriended. However, Catherine and ex stripper, Robin, have now embarked upon a relationship, leaving Catherine very confused.

Karen McCluskey. The oldest woman on the street and best friend of the late Edie Brit, she has had her fair share of dark secrets (keeping her dead husband in a chest freezer in her basement, etc), has a sarcastic manner with a dry sense of humour and drives a hard deal; she certainly doesn't let the other housewives bully her! Yet she is always around to help and doesn't judge people; we get the impression nothing surprises her anymore! She helps Lynette by babysitting her children, she befriended the friendless Edie Brit and was the one who went to visit Catherine twice when she was depressed in hospital thinking that everyone on the street hated her, convincing her that her friends would forgive her and persuading her to come home.

Bob and Lee are a relatively new addition to the street, and although they haven't had many main story lines, they have quickly befriended all of the women. While Lee is comical and very open, Bob, a lawyer, is much more serious and reserved, so that together, they make a great dynamic couple for the show and are easily very likable, although maybe fall victim to some gay stereotypes. Through these characters, the show has covered topics such as civil ceremonies for gay couples, as well as adoption as it was recently revealed that Bob and Lee are hoping to adopt a child when they can.

The latest resident on the street is Italian born Angie Bolen (Drea De Matteo) who is a convict on the run with her convict husband, Nick, and their son, Danny, who they are protecting from their previous lives in New York. They haven't told him their history, but the audience are slowly finding out that Angie was an environmental activist and met another activist Patrick Logan who persuaded her that they needed to be more heavy handed, and in the end, someone was killed and now the police are after Angie, and she fears they will sentence her to life imprisonment of death, yet she seems more scared of Patrick than anyone. Slowly, the housewives of the street and befriending her and learning to accept her; Bree at first thought she was too loud and brash, arguing in the street with her family in a way that reserved Bree disagrees with. For this reason she tried to steal Angie's Italian recipes rather than employ her, but after a heart to heart the women understand each other much better. She has had a similar breakthrough with the other housewives also.

The show was fantastic when it first came out, and I'm still a fan, however, my sister thinks that it's gone on too long now and isn't as good as it used to be, so she's stopped watching. However, the series before last, the show was given a new lease of life when it went forward in time five yeats, which made a whole new host of story lines possible (new relationships, new characters, children for Gabby, older children for Lynette, etc).

It's still well written, funny, sometimes very unrealistic, which I don't mind at all, has morals to stories, adds a bit of glamour and escapism to a Wednesday night, and is basically good entertainment. The concept is great in that it means they can just introduce a new resident to the street with a dark secret every season and the show follows the new family and how the residents of Wisteria Lane adapt to them and their story, etc.

The cast is quite fantastic, all the actors play their parts very well, in my opinion particularly Felicity Huffman who plays Lynette.

The show I suppose is in a way the suburban equivalent of Sex and the City, which I never really watched, but it is less adult in terms of sex scenes, etc, although it is still really only suitable for an older audiance, but I think it is much more comfortable for people to watch together.

I think it's good that the show has characters who at least female viewers can respect and identify with in some way: The women all have their problems and struggles, and they all make mistakes, but they also always show forgiveness and in the end, usually make the right decision and amend their wrongs. They are all strong, powerful women who's main priorities are their families and friends, and they all work together to help each other have the best lives they can, despite the men on the street coming and going in many respects. It is these four women who are the stable feature of the street, and as long as they have each other, they can and will survive.

I think the show really is aimed predominantly at women, which I think some women actually find appealing about the show; it's the kind of thing to watch on a girls night in, or just when you're in on your own and it's kind of like hanging out with some girl friends in a way I suppose!

However, the show does have diveristy in its characters; there are characters of varying ages, nationalities, genders, sexualities, etc, and this highlights what this show is really about; acceptance. Learning to accept that people are different, but that isn't always a bad thing, and if we embrace these healthy varieties, then our own lives can be enhanced.

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Give it a watch- you will get hooked.

'Desperate Housewives' is what I would describe as a dark drama-comedy- it has aspects of each part. It is dark because each season a new mystery is introduced, usually revolving around murder or suicide. It's dramatic because you see the five women, Susan, Gabriella, Lynette, Brie and Edie, go through major events in their lives; marriage, pregnancy, cancer, divorce and loss. Despite this, alot of the time 'Desperate Housewives' can be hilarious which often makes the drama even more upsetting. The brilliant thing about 'Desperate Housewives' is the women themselves. Marc Cherry, the creator, made five strong women, at least one of which each audience member can relate to in some way. You have Susan, the single parent who is quite akward, Gabriella who feels so insecure in her marriage that she has to have an affair, Bree the perfectonist who finds release in alcohol, Edie, a commitment-phobe who sleeps around and Lynette, a modern women struggling to both work and raise a massive family. Some notable guest star appearances over the years are Jesse Metcalfe, John Barrowman, Dana Delany and Nathan Fillion.

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Enjoyable but only if you forget its recycled.

Desperate housewives is a comedy drama set on the fictional street of Wisteria Lane, it follows the lives of a few of the residents.

The main characters are:Susan Delfino - Susan is married to Mike and has two children Julie, from a previous marriage and MJ with Mike. Every season they have an on again off again relationship, as time goes by this gets annoying as its the same story every season, repeated over and over again. Susan is a slightly flakey character who tends to do crazy things and be slightly neurotic.

Lynette Scavo - Lynette is married to Tom and they have numerous children, the main theme with Lynette and Tom is they always seems to be fighting about who is going to look after the children and who is going to work. Again this happens every series as does them having a new child and lynette moaning about it.

Gabrielle Solis - Gaby is married to Carlos and they have two daughters together, Gaby and Carlos' relationship was very fiery before they had children and they split up all the time, this was again a recurring theme. However with the addition of children, the new recurring theme in the relationship is Gaby having some sort of secret from Carlos and going behind his back to do something.

Bree Hodge - Bree is married to Orson, although this is not by choice. She originally wanted to divorce him but then he became disabled so she now feels this is her punishment for having an affair in their marriage. Brees story does change from time to time so I feel this character is less stuck in a rut than the rest.

Within each series, a new family moves onto the lane with a secret and the rest of the series is spent finding out what the family is hiding. The series follows each family as they deal with dramas in their lifes, issues with their children and general ups ad downs with their friendships. Its good to see the characters interact as the way friendships are portrayed is realistic; friends falling out over silly little things, issues with children etc. Trials and tribulations with the children are also fairly realistic also, from normal parenting, to slightly more excessiveness i.e. Gaby doing anything to get her kids into good schools.

What does feel slightly unrealistic is that often some storylines seem a little farfectched, although obviously this is for dramatic effect. It does seem a little odd that everyone who harbours any sort of secret crops up onto the street. Again though, if everyone was boring and had no story then there would be no show!

Overall desperate housewives is good to watch, and I generally do enjoy watching it. However when I stop and think of the plots and the continual repetition it annoys me! If I forget about this and just watch then its fine.

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excellent series

Desperate Housewives is currently on Season 6, we have seen a few characters come and go but I think they have a good mix of characters at the moment, which appeal to most ages.

** The programme **

The programme is an American comedy/drama series primarily set in Wisteria Lane, in a fictional town called Fairview. Each episode is focused on a group of women, their lives are narrated by their dead neighbour. There is always a moral to the story and every episode brings you a new story. ** The Housewives **

Susan Delfino played by Teri Hatcher - Susan was once married to Karl (who recently died) together they had Julie. Some time after her divorce from Karl Susan met plumber Mike Delfino, together Mike and Susan have MJ.

Lynette Scavo played by Felicity Huffman - Lynette is fairly successful and is quite a power woman. She is married to Tom, together they have 6 children, however one of those children died before birth and Lynette is currently pregnant.

Bree Van de Kamp played by Marcia Cross - Bree likes to keep up appearances, she is seen by all the other housewives as the perfect women, with the perfect marriage... perfect life, however Bree is quite unhappy. She is married to Orson and the two have had their fair share of up's and down's.

Gabrielle Solis played by Eva Longoria Parker - Gaby is a former model she is married to Carlos and together they have 2 children and have recently become legal guardians of Carlos's niece Ana. Gaby is known for her affair with former gardener john, although she and Carlos are now very happy together.

** My opinion **

I really like Desperate Housewives, I like the way that its so easy to pick up on, you could miss an episode yet still know whats going on the next time you see it. The acting is great from all the cast, including the children.

The humour is present all the way through the episodes, even if a particular episode is sad, the humour will soon appear even if it is in the form of sarcasm.

I think the housewives are easy to relate to and you will quickly identify your favourite. Although some of the stories are far fetched many of them are realistic and are about every day things.

This show is hugely popular with not only women but men too, this may be due to the fact the housewives are extremely attractive but I like to think that its because the acting is superb and the stories are good lol.

Overall this is a great show, it is on channel 4 and E4 but I find it easier to watch it on 4od as its on a bit late for me. Absolutely fantastic show.

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I am addicted!

I am currently watching the latest series of Desperate Housewives on Australian TV.

This series set on Wisteria Lane in the US has a group of women that I have come to know whilst watching it. Every character is different and has different personalities. Lynette is mother to 4 soon to be 5, Gabby is proud mother to 2 and has fallen out with lynette over work issues with gabbys husband. Susan is divorcee now with Mike, mother to 2, insecure and unconfident. Bree, sleeping with Carl, Susans ex husband, and some new characters that I havent quite worked out yet.

This fictional world has developed a lot since I first started watching years ago, it used to be all about murder and there was an enveloping story line. Now it sort of bumbles along but I still enjoy it and want to see what happens the next week.

I have not followed every series as there have been so many now. However I am now hooked on this latest one.

So far there have been future fantasies after a plane crash on Wisteria Lane, affairs that you never thought would happen, betrayals of friendships. Its never ending on this street, and thats what I tune in for every week.

Im not sure if the latest series has started in the UK so have tried not to put in too many spoilers, but if you like gossip, strong feminine characters and have a spare hour each week then give this a go!

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Excellent

Plot:

Desperate Housewives follows the lives of five close friends who are shocked by the suicide of their friend Mary Alice (Brenda Strong). They attempt to unravel the mystery surrounding her death whilst dealing with their own personal problems, their lives are anything but simple. Every season sees a new family move onto Wisteria Lane, giving the housewives chance for a good gossip and a new mystery to unravel.

Created by Marc Cherry, Desperate Housewives is currently in it's sixth season after debuting in 2004. Shown on ABC in the US and Channel 4/E4 in the UK.

Review:

Desperate Housewives is unusual in that it is narrated by a character who commits suicide in the pilot episode, straight from the start it's letting you know that it's not your ordinary TV drama. Labelled as a comedy/drama, Desperate Housewives deals with serious issues as well as having lighter moments. Sometimes the contrast is a bit brazen, it doesn't always mesh but most of the time the writers manage the combination well.

The writing is excellent, I tend to find US comedy a bit cheesy and rubbish to be honest but Desperate Housewives has a dark comedic element to it. It has been criticised for being repetitive which I would agree with to a certain extent, the arrival of a suspicious family once every year is convenient for storytelling purposes. But what do you expect from a show about one suburban street? There is only so many stories they can tell, bringing in outsiders with a backstory is the easiest way to refresh the show.

Along with the high standard of writing, the show is perfectly shot as you would expect from a top US show. It looks picture perfect, suburban life looks like the American dream.Marc Cherry has created a top show, hopefully it won't go on too many seasons so that it diminishes the quality of the show though. Ten quality seasons is better than dragging out the end for a few more years just for ratings. Cherry may not be the perfect showrunner however, Nicollette Sheridan (Edie) is currently suing Cherry for assault and battery. Clearly the drama isn't just on the set. The show has been marred by many tales of backstage b*tching, as long as the quality of the show is high, I'm not bothered about the rumours.

Now onto the characters:Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman) is probably my favourite housewife, she is the most sarcastic of them all. Huffman delivers comedy easily but she also handles the more serious lines she is given with aplomb. She has great chemistry with on screen husband Tom Scavo (Doug Savant) and their children provide a mine of stories for the writers.

Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria Parker) starts out as a very one dimensional, b*tchy character who uses her looks to get what she wants. But over time she gets layers to her character and allows Longoria to show some acting ability. Ricardo Chavira who plays her husband Carlos never seems to have much to do other than look angry, but he does that well. Not going to ruin things for those of you who haven't watched the show, but Longoria's scenes with Madison De La Garza (Juanita) are genius.

Bree Van De Kamp, the prim and proper housewife, is portrayed perfectly by Marcia Cross. She does loosen up over time, allowing different aspects of her character to come to the fore. I'm not a huge fan of her children Andrew (Shawn Pyfrom) and Danielle Van De Kamp (Joy Lauren), especially Danielle. I find them irritating most of the time and I think Bree is a much better character when seperated from her kids.

Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan) is the town hussy who comes out with the b*tchiest of comments. Edie is never given that much time on screen by herself, I definitely think they could have developed her character more. Nicollete Sheridan was originally one of the main cast but then kind of got pushed out and was more of a fringe character. A wasted character in my opinion.

Susan Mayer played by Teri Hatcher, is my least favourite character amongst the housewives. She does more of the physical comedy which I think is unnecessary a lot of the time and brings the show down a notch. I do think however that her character is more entertaining in the latter seasons than at the start of the show, but having said that, her storylines seem a little stagnant of late. I'm also not a huge fan of Mike Delfino (James Denton), Susan's love interest. He just seems a bit boring to me. Also, not a fan of her daughter Julie (Andrea Bowen), she seems like a surplus character the majority of the time.

I'll also give Dana Delany a mention even though she isn't in the show at the start. Delany's role as Katherine Mayfair seemed temporary when she was first introduced but she has grown into one of the main characters. Mayfair is an interesting character for the sole reason that she has been the centre of a major plotline since she joined the show. I don't think Delany is doing anything special with her portrayal of Katherine, she's just got lucky with the storylines in my opinion.

I've talked about the supporting male actors earlier in the review, I would like to say that I think they do add to the show even if they aren't all fully developed characters. Given the title of the show, people may expect a totally female dominant show which is true to a certain extent, but the men are given ample screen time. The children however, I am not a big fan of, they seem like they came straight out of stage school-irritating most of the time.As good as (most of) the housewives are alone, the really great scenes tend to be when three or four of them are on screen together. The combination of the characters results in the best dialogue.

The best season of Desperate Housewives in my opinion is season 5, moving the show ahead 5 years was a brave move and allowed the show to change quickly, great idea. I don't think there has been a bad season, the first half of season 2 is probably the weakest run of episodes, the show seemed a little misguided but it got itself back together by the latter half of the season.

Desperate Housewives is an excellent dark comedy/drama. If you haven't watched it yet I would recommend you watch it from the start of the show, the backstory can be a bit confusing at times if you watch episodes out of order. Watch watch watch. Brilliant show.

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Truly worth watching

Desperate Housewives really is one of my favorite TV programmes on TV today, although when it first came to UK TV I had no interest in watching it. I came into the show about halfway through the first season, and thanks to the magic of DVD, I caught up with what I had missed, and I have not missed an episode since.

The show is basically a glamourous, chaotic soap opera on a much better scale. I love all the drama on the show, and even though it is a major drama everyday in the lives of the people who live on Wisteria Lane, you can see these things actually happening, and you feel for the characters on the show. The main characters on the show, are of course the "desperate housewives" Susan Meyer, Bree Hodge (or Vandeerkamp, depending on the season) Gabrielle Solis, Lynette Scavo, Edie Britt or Katherine Mayfair (again depending on season).

These women all live on Wisteria Lane, in Fairview, with their respective husbands, partners and children. There are currently 5 series of the show available on DVD, and a 6th series is currently being shown on E4 and Channel 4.

The show is full of drama, death, betrayal, murder, trauma, affairs and much much more. Some parts of the show will see residents of the lane kill themselves, run over their neighbours, have affairs with their teenager gardeners, saving their friends from abusive husbands and many other hectic storylines that you just have to get into, they really do suck you in and you feel that you just have to keep on watching the show to see what is going to happen next.

I find this show just captivates me week after week, I just have to know what is going on, and there is always something else that catches me and makes me want to watch even more. I just can not get enough of this show, and I own every available box set on DVD, just so I can always have my fix of the show if it is not on TV when I want to watch it.

I recommend that everyone gives the show a watch, as it really is a great show that will keep you totally captivated and intrigued for the whole hour. Check this out on channel 4 and E4 sundays and Wednesdays, I promise you will love it.

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10/10

Desperate Housewives is an American comedy-drama series, which gets shown on Channel 4 in the UK. It is currently in it's 6th season.

The show takes place in Wisteria Lane in the fictional town of Fairview. There are a number of main residents and families here, which the show focuses on throughout its course. New families tend to appear each new season.

The first thing I would like to say is if your a man, then not to be put off by the name of the show. It isn't all about rich trophy wives shopping and getting makeovers, in fact basically none of it is about that. Along with the leading female characters there is also a main cast of men, who get just about as much screen time.

The characters in the show are all pretty likeable, all in their own unique way. Each having some kind of story running through the series, which usually cross-paths at some point.

The actual stories are all very interesting. Although you usually have to wait the entire series (around 20-25 one hour episodes) for the big answer, the process of getting their is often enjoyable and well played out. There is also something happening in each episode to keep you entertained and wanting to watch the next. However, it is slightly repetitive in that the main story usually has something to do with all these suspicious people that keep joining the neighbourhood.

Overall I find Desperate Housewives a good show to watch. The stories are good, the cast are excellent and the setting is also good (I seem to like shows / movies where there is nice green grass), in that it is bright and un-depressing. Recommended - don't let the name put you off !

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Comedy drama import

At first I struggled to really get into Desperate Housewives however it slowly sucked me in and now I find it a quirky enjoyable comedy drama with some excellent characters in it and some interesting plot lines. The show is narrated by a former member of Wisteria Lane where all the women who feature in the show live, what makes it interesting is Mary Alice Young is speaking from beyond the grave and her gentle slightly mocking tone is a sort of trade mark feature of the show as she sets the scene for the various plot lines, this was particularly relevant in the early episodes as it made it easy to back fill the characters and motivations of those on screen meaning that the shows writers could get straight into the action.

Wisteria Lane is a posh suburb with well to do people living on it but it is not a super rich environment just comfortable middle class Americana. My favourite character has to be Gabrielle Solis played by Eva Longaria, she is a former model who effectively married for money and her scenes with husband Carlos are very funny, in the first series you soon get to see the type of person she is as she is having an affair with thevery young and hunky gardener / pool boy.

Teri Thatcher also stars as Susan Mayer a single mother who is a bit awkward when it comes to men and a little out of her depth with the more catty members of the street. Another funny character is Bree played by Marcia Cross, she is very uptight and has that Stepford Wives look about her, her character has gone through some major upheavels and transformations over the years. The final main character is Lynette played by Felicity Scavo who is a tough cookie and mother to four kids who cause her endless problems in life.

The plot lines are pretty good in this show and it has about the right balance between drama and comedy, occasionally the plot lines do go a bit far and test your ability to really believe in them but I still find this show to be good entertainment and as such I still tune in to it even if it has started to loose some of its early bite.

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A fun drama-flled show.

In my opinion Desperate Housewives is an amazing show. It's drama-filled, funny and at times outrageous. I really think that any storyline goes in Desperate Housewives, from the sublime to the ridiculous but they pull it off brilliantly and it never seems stupid or over the top.

Set around Wisteria Lane the show focuses on its residents and the shocking lives they lead. The main characters are four female friends in their forties but their husbands, families and other neighbours are just as prevalent. With affairs, murder, false pregnancies, hurricanes and fires there is never a dull moment in this town.

Starring Teri Hatcher (Lois Lane) and Eva Longoria Parker the drama on this show just keeps on coming and you are kept gripped from week to week and season to season. Just when you think you've seen it all the show turns round and surprises you, I'm thinking especially of the time it jumped forward 5 years!

If you haven't already watched Desperate Housewives then I'd recommend you get hold of some box sets, as to start watching it now may prove a little confusing but once you start watching it you won't stop!

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A review on seasons 1 to 5 of the popular tv show Desperate Housewives

***Review posted on Ciao under same username***

I've never been one to sit down and watch television - always prefering games or books to whatever's on the box but a few sitcoms, series and soaps I do class myself a fan of and rarely miss. My favourite amongst is the American series of Desperate Housewives.

I don't know what it is that hooked me from start to present (so much so I have to stream the episodes from seasons six that have only aired in America and re-watch the current series on channel 4 that started next week) because I simply couldn't wait the ten or so more weeks difference between the two countries realese dates. I will willingly go back to these each and every time - just to put on during the day, eating dinner or wanting something else to do, I've even got my fiance into it now! This is my review on Seasons 1-5, I do not have the box set, but I do have every series, and, honestly, it's the best buy I've spend on DVDs.

For those of you that aren't a fan of the series or who haven't really even thought about it, let me give you a general plot outline before getting into the nitty gritty stuff of each season.General Plot

Desperate Houswives revolves around the lifes of four women and their families on the fictional cul-de-sac of Wisteria Lane, Fairview - a pretty street stereotyped as a typical American subburb - think big houses and picket fences. The series is Narrated by Brenda Strong - or Mary Alice Young, as she's more fondly remembered by, the key mystery in season one. Each season focuses on a mystery between old or new families, dirty laundry and the every day lives of these four women. Let me introduce you...Leading Ladies

Marcia Cross as Bree Hodge

(Van De Kamp, nee Mason)Bree Hodge (or Van De Kamp as she's known in the first two seasons) as the exterior of the perfect housewife. Red haired, firey and overly pleasent, everything she does she does to impress and Cross portrays this excellently. Bree is a good christian woman with her family Rex Van De Kamp and their two children Andrew and Danielle. In season one we learn that their are difficulties in their marriage and their children are a little astray - all of which Bree can't fully understand what she's done wrong as she feels she's done everything she can to be a good mother and wife.

Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo

(nee Lyndquist)Lynette Scavo is my favourite Desperate Housewife. From season one we learn she used to be the top dog in advertising but quit her job to be a stay-at-home mum after the birth of her fourth child. She lives with her husband Tom and their children Parker, Porter, Preston and Penny - all under 10 and twins acting up all the time. Lynette is the housewife that, for me, is the easiest to identify with - as a woman, as a friend and as a wife (or in my case, wife to be). She struggles with control issues and finds herself forever competing with other super mums. Huffman is excellent as Lynette as she makes her character believable and easy to empathise with.

Eva Longoria as Gabrielle 'Gaby' Solis

(nee Marquez, previously Lang)Gaby Solis married her husband Carlos when she was a young and succesful model and he promised her the life she always wanted. Little did she know this wouldn't always be on the right side of the law. Gaby goes through a series of trauma's and although she starts off by being a fiery, spoiled and hot tempered lady she completely turns her life around (in a later series) and becomes much more considerate and rational, but still hot headed. Longoria is the youngest member of the housewife cast and I think she suits this role perfectly, even though Gaby does come across as a little spoilt sometimes, she's likable and a very good friend to the other houswives.

Teri Hatcher as Susan Delfino

(nee Bremmer, previously Mayer)Susan is a clumsy, hopeless in love single mum when we first meet her in season one, although her daughter is a teenager and Carl (her previous husband and Julie's father) left her, I believe, two years ago after numerous affairs and one night stands and secretaries. Susan is distraught at first, but when we meet her she's picked herself up, despite still being incredibly angry and bitter about Carl, until she meets the plumber across the road Mike Delfino - the man that was meant for her - if you've watched, you know why, if you haven't you should! Hatcher portrays Susan as likable, clumsy, and a 'wife that can't cook! She does this excellently, making Susan equally as easy to identify with as Lynette, in my opinion.

Other CharactersEdie Britt

Edie is the, well, she gets around alot - having numerous love interests and affairs, two divorces and a not-so-healthy competitive strike when it comes to men. Edie is used to getting what she wants and does everything in her power to get it. Manipulative, Cunning but a very realistic character, who cuts right to the truth of the issue at hand.

Mrs McClusky

At first, Mrs Karen McClusky, a widow, is Lynette Scavo's sworn enemy, but soon they become some sort of alliance when Lynette realises she just needs a friend. Mrs McClusky is quite an enjoyable character to watch, always providing a laugh and has been a regular since season one.The Young Family

The Young Family are the mystery of season one, and a part of season two after the suicide of Mary Alice Young. Who was Dana? Did Zack kill his sister? And who is the biological father of this young Dana? And who was blackmailing Mary Alice Young to make her commit suicide?The Applewhites

The mystery in season two focuses around the Applewhite family, Betty and her son Matthew who move in in the dead of night. But what are those noises from the basement? What did they bring in too Wysteria Lane?

Orson Hodge & His Missing Lover

Orson Hodge quickly charms Bree Van De Kamp after the death of her husband Rex. But what happened to his ex wife? And his lover? And why is Mike Delfino in a coma?Kathryn Mayfair

Kathryn and her daughter Dylan come in during season four and have a dark and shady past. Why did Kathryn pack up and leave all those years ago? Why doesn't Dylan remember Julie, her best childhood friend?

The return of Edie

After the other ladies kick Edie out of town, she comes back with a new husband, Dave. Why has she returned? What is Dave's secret and why was he seeing a doctor for his mental health?So, now you know the characters, each of these contribute healthily to the first five seasons of Desperate Housewives. Of the first five I really enjoyed season four, it had one of the better mysteries of the pervious three and the wait seemed all that much longer.

Season One

The first episode aired in 2005, the pilot episode introducing the suicide of Mary Alice Young and her funeral. Here we meet the housewives and their families and already understand who's trouble and who isn't. Bree with her baskets of bread and muffins, Susan with her terrible cooking and Lynette and her troublesome twins. The rest of the season has the housewives guessing what really killed Mary Alice after finding a note blackmailing their dear friend. Mike Delfino appears on the scene as a love interest for Susan Mayer after her divorce and the local plumber - although we learn all is not as it seems when we discover he did time in prison for manslaughter and has a gun in his home. He seems to be working as some sort of private detective for the father or a girl named Deirdra.I thought this season was excellent, it introduced the characters wonderfully and had a great insight into their lives before. Each housewife has their own little issue that they deal with in their own way - Lynette's lack of control, Bree's threatening divorce and tearaway son, Gaby's husbands dishonesty - leading her to an affair with her teenage gardener and Susan's also being blackmailed for accidently setting Edie's house on fire. The mystery worked well and had you guessing who was who right up until the last few episodes where all is enravelled.

Season Two

Season two is my least favourite of the first five series because I didn't really like the mystery but it tied up some nice loose ends from the first and showed everyone as a little older and a little wiser. In terms of events nothing too drastic happens in Season two.Season Three

Season three enter Orson Hodge and his crazy mother. Orson becomes Bree's new love interest and husband after the death of her husband Rex. At first he seems likable until we learn his ex wife is missing and his ex lover has been found murdered. Automatically the blame lies with Orson and he finds himself fighting for Bree's affection. Mike Delfino is run over and comatose, Edie being there when he first wakes up and informing him that he is her boyfriend and she's been watching over him for six months. Mike, of course, has lost his memory and doesn't think any different, so doesn't fully understand why Susan is so upset. Also, season three see's the result of a love child Tom had from a one night stand before he met Lynette. Kayla and her (crazy) mother are doing everything in their power to get Lynette out of the picture...

Season three was a big improvement on season two with a better mystery and some more upsetting and complex plot lines. I really enjoyed this one and again, was guessing the killer until the very end. And I so desperatly wanted Mike to remember Susan!Season Four

Season four revolved around the Mayfairs, a family that lived in the street years ago. Kathryn's daughter Dylan doesn't seem to remember anyone despite being old enough too when they mysteriously packed up and left. Susan discovers pregnancy after her marriage to Mike and Bree is getting back on track with her marriage to Orson - after him serving time for 'doing the right thing' Lynette comes to terms her chemotherapy and battles cancer.Season four is also a split season, where a five year leap takes place and we see what people have done in the last five years.

Season four is by far my favourite as we don't quite know whether Kathryn is all right or all wrong. There is the mysterious air with Dylans father too and again, it keeps you guessing.Season Five

This seasons mystery is centered around Dave Williams and he really is creepy. It's a good season, with the return of Edie and her third husband. In this we learn he's got a bit of beef with the Delfino family and he's out for revenge, but why?

Summary

I am really enjoying the current season of Desperate Houswives - channel four, 10pm, Wednesdays, and can't wait to get his on DVD too. For me, this series is highly addictive to watch, enjoyable, full of suspense and despite what you may think is well suited to both genders - once they give it ago. The script was written by a man after all! It's a unique and interesting take on life in the suburbs and something so easy to get into. Like I said before the character portrayals are realistic and apart from each seasons mystery they all live with day-to-day struggles that each married couple, woman and man faces, marriage conselling, divorce, death of loved ones, teenage pregnancy, miscarriage, cancer, disabilities and much, much more.

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Excellent series

"*"*"*"*" I Love This Show "*"*"*"*"

This is a show that I just can not get enough of. From the moment Desperate Housewives begins I stop everything I am doing. And, I am glued to the screen from the beginning until the end. I remember back to when I first began watching it. My Mum and Dad would always be downstairs. When they were watching Most Haunted or The News I was always told to be quiet so that they could hear. But, the moment Desperate Housewives would begin my Dad would start yawning (in a exaggerated way) and tapping his fingers impatiently. And, my Mum always seemed to choose exactly then to begin talking to my Dad or to me. That is never good if you are trying to concentrate on your favourite TV show lol! (I am very easily distracted!) If the odd time things were relatively quiet.

The dogs would begin going bonkers and barking. I never was able to access the wondrous delight that is Catch up TV On Demand on Virgin Central back then. Now, I wait until everyone is in bed, sit down with something nice to eat and drink. And, watch the show in quietness. I grabbed a chance a few series ago to have the TV to myself. And, that was during the time I usually would have been struggling to hear it. But, my parents were busy decorating as far as I can remember. I sat down and watched every single episode of a series of Desperate Housewives one after the other. I can not remember what series it was because I had missed that one somehow ( I think it was series 3 or 4.) But, I certainly made up for it that day! It is the one show that really can keep my attention.

Most of the other TV shows I watch (although I do really like them) I sort of watch them, but at the same time, I can find it very difficult to concentrate on them. With Desperate Housewives it is the sort of show that if you blink you will miss something good. There is always so much happening and its interesting because they are all neighbours. I (like most people) have seen neighbours be petty and silly about things. And, although Desperate Housewives is very dramatised. It still has similarities to real life situations in my opinion. Although saying that if the things that happen in real life. Were anywhere nearly as scandalous as the shenanigans that take place on Wisteria Lane. We would never be bored! I can not compare this to "other programmes" because they just do not compare to it.

A few times I have decided to watch a film and I have turned it off because I felt too tired to give it my full attention. Yet, I have found if I turn Desperate Housewives on. No matter how tired I feel it gets my full attention. In fact that happened tonight! I was watching a film (I only saw into about the first few minutes of it.) Then I turned it off and was going to go on up to bed. But, I did not want to in-case I went to bed and the episode I had not seen yet disappeared. So, I sat there and watched it from start to finish. Regardless of how tired I was! One of the things that I really like about the show is that it not only has one brilliant storyline going on. But, at most times it juggles quite a few different ones at once. And, it is the only show that when it is going over. I literally can not wait until I get to see the next episode.

Another thing that I like is all of the characters that people who regularly watch it have come to know. Whether it be Lynette, Gabrielle,Susan, Bree, Mike, Orson, Carlos, Tom etc. They are all very interesting and likeable. I find with most shows there is some people who I like more than others. Some characters are usually more interesting and some a bit less. But, with this it is not the case! Well, I was a little less interested in the story-lines involving Katherine when she was just introduced to the show. But, now even the story-lines with her are excellent. I really do not think I could find any negatives to tell you about it. If there is one it would be that it is not on every single day and every single year for the rest of time lol! I like how the beginning and end of each of the episodes is narrated by Mary Alice Young.

She used to be one of the residents on Wisteria Lane in the very beginning. I do not want to give a complete description of every episode in this review. Nor, do I want to tell you what is happening or what has happened before. Because, it is one of the best shows out there and I do not want to spoil it for anyone who has maybe yet to see it. I think it is enough to say that a lot of secrecy, scandal and shenanigans take place in Wisteria Lane. There is always something going on and its always something interesting. I think that Mary Alice Young doing the narration is a very good addition to the show. In-fact on her narration alone, if you were new to watching Desperate Housewives, or had not seen it in a while.

You would soon be caught up by listening to what she has to say. She speaks from beyond the grave about the lives of the people on Wisteria Lane. Mainly about Lynette, Gabrielle, Susan and Bree and the people and things surrounding them. Each episode unfolds sort of like a story! Just as one is ending, you can be sure another one, just as interesting (if not more interesting) is beginning. I think the show is very funny as well and that adds so much to its entertainment value. I like shows with funny things in them. It brightens them up and makes me more inclined to watch them. I have never actually watched a episode of Desperate Housewives and thought wow that wasn't as interesting or that it was not as good as all of the rest. The episode are consistently thought provoking, interesting, funny and just very entertaining to watch.

Desperate housewives was created by Marc Cherry. It was produced by ABC Studios and Cherry productions as well. It is a comedy-drama set in a beautiful fictional American town. Desperate Housewives was apparently slightly inspired by the film American Beauty. I have not seen it but If it is anywhere near as good as this series is. Then it is certainly one I want to see. The neighbourhood for Desperate Housewives and all of the people in it remind me of The Stepford Wives film. Everything is idealistic and Wisteria Lane looks like the sort of place that anyone would love to live in. Even though no-one is perfect . When you first see the people in this series they all seem to be. It is interesting that they appear to be but behind the illusion is crime, lies, secrets and lots of other imperfect things as well.

"*"*"*"*" New Series - Yay! "*"*"*"*"

So, now its time to speak about the new series. This has just began and it is only into the second episode. So if anyone is thinking about watching it who never has before. I would say now would be a great time to start! Judging by those first two episodes there is a lot of surprises in store. For those who are already avid watchers there is a new face that you may recognise and those who have yet to be swept up in the show may also recognise her. Matt Le Blanc who played Joey in friends had a spin of series. It was also named Joey! The person who played the role of his sister (who was named Gina) if I remember correctly. She is in the new series as part of a new family that have moved to Wisteria Lane.

"*"*"*"*" A Quick Introduction To Some Of The Characters "*"*"*"*"

Susan Mayer ( Teri Hatcher) - Some people will recognise the person who plays the role of Susan from The New Adventures Of Superman series. In Desperate Housewives she has a Daughter named Julie and is now remarried to Mike Delfino. Susan and Mike have not had it easy as far as their marriage has been concerned. It was one of those things were you knew although they dated others that they were meant to be together and that they would end up back together and they did. But, not before a lot of drama in-between times. Her daughter Julie actually seems more like a Mum to her than she is to Julie.

Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longaria Parker) - Gabrielle is a ex-model and is now a Mum of two. She use to always wear designer outfits but now she wears more casual stuff and is a bit different after having become a Mum. She is still the most beautiful out of the four characters mentioned. She and Carlos were together in the very beginning. Gabrielle had an affair with their gardener (who starred in John Tucker Must Die) and Carlos cheated with their maid. They split up and Gabrielle went on to marry Victor but she always loved Carlos and he always loved her. They end up back together again. Eva starred in the film Over Her Dead Body in 2008.

Bree Hodge (Marcia Cross) - Bree plays the role of someone who is OCD like and always has to have thing exactly as she wants them. She is obsessive about things and very strict at times with her kids. She has a Son named Andrew who recently came out as being gay and a Daughter named Danielle. She is the most like a Stepford Wife. Sometimes her reactions to things are quite funny and she comes across as being slightly nuts at times.

Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman) Lynette is a Mother of four and she is married to Tom Scavo who owns a Pizza place. She is a very tough character, she has came through a lot in the show but has done so with her sanity in tact. Well, at least more so than Bree lol! Lynette had a battle with cancer in a previous series and she came out the other end of it. Her sons have ADHD and she has had it difficult trying to keep them in-line.

"*"*"*"*" OVERALL "*"*"*"*"

This is one of the best shows (if not the best) I have ever seen. I doubt that there will be another as good as it. I highly recommend this show to everyone! It is very entertaining and rather addictive too. The story-lines are wonderful! All of the actors and actresses put in marvellous performances and they could not have been better chosen. This gets a sure 5 stars from me. Because, it is a exceptionally well put together series and it just keeps getting better and better!

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Good trashy tv

Desperate Housewives is an American tv show that my missus loves and forces me to watch! By 'forces' I mean she watches it and I have no choice but to either do the washing up or watch it with her!

This show is set in a fictional suburb called Wisteria Lane in a made up place called Fairview, America.

The show is set around the lives of a bunch of women are all - you guessed it - housewives. Where does the desperate part comes in I hear you ask? Well, they get themselves into all sorts of situations...

The main characters are called Susan, Lynette, Bree, Gabrielle and Katherine. Previous series had a couple of different main characters.

Lynette is married to Tom, and seems to want to start her own football team - she has loads of kid I've lost count and is currently expecting another! (she's in her 40s and it was a shock when she realized another was on the way!) She's sensible and very strong having battled cancer and been a major advertising exec in the past.

Gabrielle is an ex-model and the biggest eye candy of the show. She's like the Cheryl Cole of the group..She is married to Carlos and is spoil and selfish. But over the years she's changed and become more responsible. She even has kids now and has definitely matured.

Susan is the ditzy one -played by Teri hatcher- and has just re-married (yes that's right, married for the second time) Mike.

Bree is the housewife extraordinaire and strives to be the best housewife of all. She has her own catering company and has published a cookbook. She's very concerned with always being prim and proper

Katherine is the newest character of the group and is Mike's ex. She is bitter that Mike and Susan are together again.

There's also a new family with a shady past and we haven't learned anything about them yet except that they're weird.

Of course there are other characters including the gay guys who live next door, the old biddy who pokes her nose into everyone's business and various other people but its mostly about the group of women ive already mentioned.

The show is so good because it always has suspense and plot twists. There's always a mystery in every series which you have to figure out and that makes the show more interesting. It also is funny in places but is dark humour. The characters are all love em or hate em but either way it makes things interesting!

The show is currently on series 7 I think and is being shown on channel 4. You can watch it on 4od if you have missed any episodes - there's only been two shown so far so get on with it and catch up!

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Product Details

It follows the lives of a group of neighbourhood women. The story is narrated through the eyes of their dead neighbor. The women work through domestic struggles and family life, while facing the secrets, crimes and mysteries hidden behind the doors of theirat the surfacebeautiful suburban neighborhood.